Lock for mail-bags and the like.



J. SAOKETT.

LOOK FOR MAIL BAGS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APRJO, 1911.

1,015,908. Patented Jan.3,0,1912

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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awe/who's q nlmlm ILANOOMPH 60., WASHINGTON. n. C.

J. SACKETT.

LOCK FOB MAIL BAGSAN -D THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED 'Arnm, 1911.

Patented Jan; 30, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (20., WASHINGTON, D. C.

JAMES SACKE'IT, OF VENANGO, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOOK FOR MAIL-BAGS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

Application filed April 10, 1911. Serial No. 620,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SACKETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Venango, in the county of Crawford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locksfor Mail-Bags and the Like, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail bag closuresand more particularly to a lock therefor, and my object is to provide adevice of this character which may be readily applied to a mail bag andone which may be quickly and effectively applied to use.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved formof lock adapted for application to a portion of a bag and further toprovide a shackle or head member carried by a strap adapted to encirclethe bag, said shackle being adapted to be securely held upon insertionwithin the look.

A further object resides in providing a lock having spring held latchesadapted to engage and retain the head member upon the insertion thereofwithin the lock casing.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the shackle will beautomatically forced from the casing upon the release of the latchesfrom engagement therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock of this characterwhich, although particularly adapted for use in connection with mailbags, may be readily and effectively applied to use in any connectionwherein a lock of this character is desired.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a mail bag showing my improvedlock applied to use. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the lock having thefront wall of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view having thefront wall of the ca sing and the covering plate removed therefrom. Fig.4 is a horizontal section as seen on line 414, Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is atransverse section through the lock as seen on line 55, Fig. 2. Fig. 6is an elevation of thekey. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of one of thespring members used in the lock. Fig. 8

In carrying out my invention, I shall refer to the drawings in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates a bag, such as used in thepresent mail service, having the flap 2 thereon, and secured to one ofthe sides of the bag, is a plurality of wire loops 3 which extendinwardly and are adapted to be inserted through the openings 4 in theother face of the bag so as to extend therebeyond. The flap 2 is alsoprovided with a plurality of openings 5 which are adapted to receivetherethrough the projecting loops 3 when said flap is bent down over theface of the bag, and secured to one end of said bag, is a strap or thelike 6 which is adapted to extend through said wire loops after the flaphas been engaged therewith, the opposite or free end ,of said strapbeing provided with a shackle .or head member 7. This head membercomprises a plate secured to the strap and having one end thereof bentat right angles, on which angular bent end, is

formed an extended lug Shaving an opening therethrough. As stated, thestrap is adapted to be extended through the wire loops after the flap onsaid bag has been engaged therewith and said shackle or head memberengaged with a lock pivotally secured to the rear face of the bag. Thislock comprises an outer casing 9, the front face of which is providedwith a key-receiving opening 10, one end of which is provided with astem 11 pivotally engaged with the bag, and the opposite end thereofprovided with a rectangular opening 12, this last referred to openingbeing adapted to receive the shackle or head member heretoforementioned. The front wall of said casing is provided with a pin 13 uponwhich is p-ivotally mounted one end of a pair of latch members 14 and15,the pivoted ends of said latches being spaced from the rear wall of saidcasing by means of the spacing plate 16, and the other ends of saidlatches are spaced from saidrear wall by being positioned in a groove 17ofan additional spacing plate 18 mounted on said rear wall. Theselatches 14 and 15 are identical in size and shape and the same areprovided adjacent their pivoted ends with the inclined alining slots 19which receive one end of a leaf spring 20. Said leaf spring is then bentsomewhat to rest against one of the end walls of the groove 17 of saidplate 18, whereby the tension of said spring will normally force saidlatches against the opposite end wall of said groove. The free ends ofsaid latches 14 and 15 are beveled, as disclosed at 21., and each ofsaid levers is provided in one side, adjacent the beveled end, thereofwith the locking notch 22, the notches of the two latches being 'alined,and as the ends of said latches are normally positioned immediatelybelow the opening 12 in the top of said casing, it will be seen that thehead member is adapted to be engaged by said latches as the same isinserted through the opening in said top. An additional leaf spring 23has one end thereof engaged with one end of the plate 18 and extends forsome distance along said plate in the rear of the latches 14: and 15 andis then bent, as shown at 2a, to extend below the opening 12 in the topof the casing to allow the free end thereof to contact with said top. Inthis manner, it will be seen that as the head member is inserted throughthe opening 12, the same will encounter the spring, the tendency ofwhich will be to force said head member outwardly.

Between the front wall of the casing and the operating parts of thelook, as herein described, is an additional plate 25 which may besecured to the rear wall of the casing in any desired manner, said platebeing provided with a key-receiving opening 26 in alinement with thesimilar opening in the front wall of the casing, and extending throughsaid key-receiving openings, is a key-post 27 formed on the rear wall ofsaid casing. Said key post is adapted to receive the usual or anypreferred form of key 28 so that the same may be held in its properposition as the same is turned to force the locking levers into theirinoperative positions.

In operation, the strap after being passed through the various parts ofthe bag to lock the same, is brought into position so as to allow theshackle or head member on the end thereof to be inserted in the opening12 in the casing. The latch members being normally sprung in a positionimmediately below said opening 12, are adapted to contact with said headmember after the same has been forced through the opening and againstthe spring 23, the engagement of said head member with the beveled endsof the latches being suflicient to force the latter out of their normalpositions. The further forcing of the head member within the lock willallow said latches to be sprung back into their normal positions, theends thereof being inserted through the opening in said head member,while the notches in said.

latches will also receive a portion thereof, thereby securely retainingthe same. Then it is desired to release the shackle so as to open thebag, the key 28 is inserted within the look and by turning the same, thelug 29 thereon will engage the side edges of said latches 14 and 15 andforce the same out of their normal and effective positions, and as soonas the locking ends of said latches have been disengaged with the headmember, the spring 23 will immediately force said head member outwardlythrough the opening 12 in the top of the casing. Thus, it will be seenthat the release of the head member is.

substantially automatic after the key has been turned.

Although I have specifically described this lock in conjunction with amail bag, it will be readily understood that changes in form, proportionand in minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that- I have provided a lock whichalthough particularly adapted for use in connection with mail bagclosures, is equally well adapted for use'in any connection wherein alock of this character is desired. ther be seen that by providing aspring in position beneath the head member receiving opening of thecasing, the release of the shackle or hard member will be substantiallyautomatic. It will still further be seen that the lock is extremelysimple in construction, thereby easily and cheaply manufactured and onewhich is exceedingly effective in operation.

hat I claim is 1. In a lock of the class described, the combination witha casing having an opening in one end thereof, latch members pivotallymounted in said casing opposite the end having the opening therein, aspring means normally forcing the free ends of said latches in positionbeneath the opening in said casing, and a spacing plate for the latchesadapted to limit the movement thereof; of a head member adapted to beinserted in said opening and engaged by the latches, a key for forcingsaid latches out of their effective positions to release the same fromengagement with the head member, and a spring member within said casingdisposed immediately below the opening therein, said spring memberhaving one end thereof engaged with said spacing plate and the otherbent into engagement with the end of said casing.

2. In a lock of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving an opening in the end thereof, a pair of latch members pivoted tothe rearwall of said cas ing, a spacing plate on said rear wall having agroove therein through which said It will still furlatches move, andspring means cooperating with said plate and the latches for forcing thelatter normally below the opening in said casing; of a head memberadapted for introduction through said opening and for engagement withsaid latches, a key to force the latches from their normal position andrelease the same from their engagement with the head member, and aspring positioned in said casing beneath the opening in the top thereofto force said head member from the casing when the latches have beendisengaged therefrom.

3. In a lock of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving an opening in the end thereof, a pair of latch members pivotallymounted on the rear wall of said casing, means to retain the pivoted endof said latches spaced from said rear wall, an additional spacing platealso mounted on said rear wall having a groove therein through whichsaid latches extend, and a leaf spring engaging the lower ends of saidlatches and resting against one wall of the groove in said plate, saidspring forcing said latches normally to the opposite wall in said grooveand beneath the opening in said casing; of a head member adapted to beintroduced through the opening in said casing to be engaged by saidlatches, a key for releasing the latches from their engagement with thehead member, and a spring having one end thereof in engagement with saidspacing plate and the opposite end bent into engagement with the end ofsaid casing, said spring extending immediately below the opening in saidcasing to force said head member therefrom when released from saidlevers.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JAMES SACKETT.

Witnesses:

FRANK EASTMAN, ELLA LANG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

